Site plan example for a permit, labeled part by part

Here’s a site plan example for a house on a 75 by 150 foot lot, with a proposed 12 by 16 foot shed in the backyard. The numbered circles match the list in the next section.

1. Title block. The address, parcel number, owner, contact details, date and sheet title, plus the lot area and lot coverage: 1,400 square feet of house and 192 of shed is 1,592, or 14.2% of the lot.
2. North arrow. Orients the drawing so a reviewer can match it to the parcel map.
3. Scale. A stated scale and a bar scale. The bar stays accurate even if the sheet is printed larger or smaller.
4. Street. Its name and edge of pavement. The strip between the pavement and the front property line is usually public right-of-way; the water meter sits there.
5. Property lines. All four lines with their lengths, in a distinct line type. Add bearings if your survey has them.
6. Existing house. A solid outline, labeled with its size and number of stories, and dimensioned 25 feet from the front line.
7. Proposed building. Dashed and shaded so it stands out, and labeled with its size, area and use.
8. Setbacks and separation. The shortest distances from the shed to the nearest property lines (10 feet to the side, 15 to the rear) and to the house (54 feet). These are the numbers a reviewer compares with the zoning code.
9. Easement. Hatched and labeled with its width and purpose. The shed stays out of it.
10. Driveway. Its location, width and surface, and where it meets the street.
11. Utilities. The water and sewer service lines, the water meter, and the new buried electric line to the shed. A rural lot would add its septic system and well.
12. Legend. Explains every line type and hatch pattern, so no one has to guess.

For the process behind it, see how to draw a site plan.

Most corrections come from the same short list. Before you submit, check yours the way a plan reviewer will:

• The address and parcel number match the permit application
• The property lines close, and their lengths match the survey or plat
• Every structure is labeled existing or proposed, with its size and use
• Setbacks are measured square to the property line from the closest point, including eaves if your code measures to them
• New work stays out of easements and required setback areas
• The footprint matches the floor plan on your other sheets
• The lot coverage math is shown and adds up
• The driveway, utilities, septic and well don’t conflict with the new work
• Text and dimensions are readable at the paper size you submit

Use this as a site plan template. Copy the first column into your notes and fill in each item for your own lot before you start drawing.

Example values only. Your zoning code defines setbacks and coverage, and your building department may ask for more.

Most residential site plans share the same bones. Here’s what changes:

• A new house. The whole footprint with porches, decks and steps, the driveway, utility connections, and usually drainage arrows or spot elevations.
• An addition. The existing house solid and the addition dashed, with setbacks dimensioned from the new walls.
• A garage or workshop. Like the shed, but bigger buildings often have different limits. See shed permits.
• A rural lot. The septic tank, drain field and well, with distances between them. A large parcel may need a smaller scale plus an enlarged view of the building area.

Looking for a plot plan example? Many departments use “plot plan” for this same drawing. Some mean a simpler version without utilities or drainage. Their checklist tells you which.

Many building departments post a sample site plan or a one-page handout as a PDF. Search your city or county name with “site plan requirements” or “sample site plan.” Theirs shows exactly what they expect, so follow it wherever it differs from this example.

When you submit your own, export a PDF at the sheet size they ask for and check it at 100% zoom. If you can’t read a dimension on screen, the reviewer can’t either.

AI CAD PRO is free site plan and plot plan software for Windows. Attach your survey or plat, set the site boundary and setbacks, and describe what you’re adding. Astra, the AI assistant, draws property lines, buildings, dimensions, hatching and notes as editable CAD objects, on a sheet with a title block, north arrow and scale bar. Astra runs on your own ChatGPT subscription.

Print preview matches the PDF you export on Letter, Tabloid or Arch D paper. Drafting checks flag missing information, but they aren’t a code review. Your building department has the final word.